It seems to me that this Quaker attitude of sitting open to the truth is one
of thespiritual foundations of Quaker education. The 300 years of the Quaker
story is shot through with bold probes into truth andshafts of new light, such
as the early Quaker cry for worship rather than ritual, the direct God/person
relation, the huge social effect of insistence on absolute integrity and
simplicity, the witness against violence and war, the decision-making process,
radical concepts regarding slavery, careful use of natural resources treatment
of criminals, mentally ill, the refugee, the rejects of society, and the long,
long tradition of Quaker education, including the first schools for black
Americans, and Pennsylvania's eighty years of peace with the Native Americans.—Colin Bell, 1971

The Religious Society of Friends was originated by George Fox (1624-1691) during
a period of political upheaval and social change in England. The established
churches, Catholic and Anglican, were at a low ebb at this time, caught up in
conflicts and preoccupied with forms and power struggles rather than religious
witness. Neither provided much help to the victims of upheaval in a violent
century, and so there were thousands of "seekers", who wandered over England
looking for something that they could believe in and that would give meaning to
their lives. One such seeker was George Fox, who after years of emptiness and
desolation, had a revelation on Pendle Hill, in the heart of England's Lake
District - a revelation that led to the birth of the Society of Friends and
has been at the heart of its life and witness ever since. This epiphany came to
Fox in 1646 in the form of a voice saying to him, "There is one, even Christ
Jesus, who can speak to thy condition". From this, Fox derived his essential
insight which was that there is "that of God" in everyone, and that one can gain
access to the God within through stillness and the practice of silence. The
belief that there is that of God in every person led as well to the Quaker
practices of careful listening, compassion and non-violence, the full equality
of women, the practice of silent worship: a time in which any worshipper may
have an inner leading and share his or her message. Fox also ascertained that
decisions should be made by the "sense of the meeting," a spiritual step beyond
that of secular consensus and voting. As a result of the persecution of Quakers
in England, many Friends emigrated to the American colonies. William Penn
arrived in America in 1681 and founded Pennsylvania as a Holy Experiment, a
colony governed on the ideals of the Religious Society of Friends. When Friends
arrived in America, they immediately founded schools to educate their children,
both boys and girls. Friends schools were founded in Philadelphia in the late
1600's, long before the establishment of public schools. Believing that
spiritual, social, and intellectual development are closely linked, Friends have
always stressed the importance of an education which supports the overall
development of the child.

Quaker Beliefs

These are some of the beliefs which guide Friends schools in carrying out the
awesome, but joyous, responsibility of educating children in the manner of
Friends:

We know that truth is available to us through this practice of inner silence. We
sense that it is the purpose of human life to seek Truth. Therefore, we hold
dear moments of silence and try to keep and inner silence throughout our lives.
This allows us to hear and act upon "that still small voice within."

We know that humans are born with an infinite capacity for good, which can be
nurtured and developed. Educationally, this means a methodology based on support
and encouragement. We derive our hopefulness for the future from this human
capacity for goodness.

We know that education in an opening up. Therefore, we discover that our
expectation of each student is unique and that each presents his/her set of
challenges and celebrations. The curriculum in Friends schools is student
centered.

We know that we are all connected. From this, we develop the Friends'
testimonies of peace and social justice, and our service learning projects. This
is one of our most important truths as it makes us responsible.

We know that revelation is a process available through the Inner Light within
each of us. From this, we derive limitless respect for each individual, careful
listening to all, tolerance of all views, patience toward all people, and the
desire to understand before being understood.

Philosophy of Quaker Education:

"The fundamental principle which Friends stress, that in every person, there
is something of God, capable of receiving direct illumination from God, must
apply equally to children as to adults, and must, therefore set the tone for the
whole of life in the school. The whole community should live together in
friendship, each one recognizing the special position held by the others, and
the contribution required from each for the perfection of the common life."—London Yearly Meeting, 1946

Friends see all education as inescapably religious, regardless of age, subject
matter, or setting. For while these Friends school communities are searching for
understanding in sets and numbers, poems, animal reproduction, party platforms,
ethics, and racial tensions, they are also seeking to know more clearly the
Truth which sets us free and gives us the more abundant life. A basic tenet of
Quakerism is that truth is continuously revealed and is accessible to the
seeker. At Friends schools, this belief is reflected in an open-minded approach
to curriculum and teaching, in an emphasis on critical thinking skills, and in a
developmental approach to children and learning. In Quaker education, teachers
are partners with their students in a cooperative search for truth within and
beyond the classroom. Work on individual skills and knowledge is balanced with
group learning, in which each person's unique insights contribute to a
collective understanding. Students learn to respect and practice truth and to
know the various ways it can be found - through scientific investigation,
through creative expression, through conversation, through worship, through
service within the school community and beyond. They are encouraged by word and
example to respect the talents and perspectives of others, and include them in a
cooperative rather than a competitive search for knowledge. The Quaker belief in
the "Inner Light" leads to faith in the ability of every member of the school
community to reach his or her full potential. Children are expected to grow and
change in an environment that nurtures their spirits and challenges them to
develop inner resources for discipline and achievement. A variety of gifts and
talents are honored. Friends schools hope to create an environment within which
students and staff alike can continue to mature as companions in a wide range of
experiences. These experiences, both inward and outward in nature, may bring
forth in each a deepening awareness of the presence of God.

Social Action:

Since Friends education is religious at heart, it therefore tends to be socially
responsible. Peace and war, racism and brotherhood, ignorance and poverty,
injustice and law, and violence and non-violence, all these are both subjects
for study and issues for commitment, now as students, and soon as effective
citizens. Because Friends believe that faith requires action in the world, the
schools emphasize the development of a caring community, peaceful resolution of
conflict, and service to others, especially those less fortunate. Friends have a
long tradition of putting love into action, and the Quaker testimonies of
equality, community, harmony, and simplicity are reflected concretely in the
life of the school. Students grow into compassionate and responsible adults who
recognize their interconnectedness with the larger human family.

Meeting for Worship:

"A Friends Meeting, however silent, is at the lowest a witness that worship
is something other and deeper than words and that it is to the unseen and
eternal things that we desire to give the first place in our lives."—Caroline E. Stephens, 1908

Usually, each week, the school community at a Friends school gathers for Meeting
for Worship. The form of worship is simple: believing that each person has
within the ability, with God's help, to discern the truth, Friends worship
silently, waiting upon the spirit. Students and teachers are encouraged to speak
from their hearts, if so moved. The unstructured nature of Meeting, with its
focus on the power of the gathered group, gives children of all faiths a
powerful tool for spiritual growth. They are asked to turn to their Inner Light
for guidance in living their lives. Meeting for Worship makes explicit the
connection between the inward and outward life which is unique in Quaker
education.

Aims of Quaker Education

"Quakers believe in strong encouragement of the individual. Each person has
the capacity to be good, the ability to see the Light of God, and the ability to
put that truth to good use. Thus, Quakers provide an exceptional and unique
learning environment. Students who graduate from a Quaker school walk away with
a strong sense of social understanding, skills to deal with adversity,
tolerance, respect for others, and a strong sense of self worth so that they
have the power needed to succeed."— Marisa Edmund, Graduate of Friends School, 1994

A Friends school hopes to offer a community that cares very deeply about what
kind of persons its members, young and old, are becoming, what goals and motives
are effective in their lives, what their response is to the high calling of
being human. They hope to be communities of those who have, not only the
techniques and knowledge, but also a vivid relationship to reality, a hunger for
worship, a passion for truth, and the experience of growth, both in the Light
and toward the Light. Quaker education does not seek to inculcate a particular
set of beliefs or doctrines; it seeks to nurture a particular sort of person: a
person who knows deep down that what we see, taste, touch, smell and hear is not
all there is to life; a person who, in an age of rampant materialism, has
first-hand experience of the reality and importance of Spirit in life; a person
rooted as much in the unseen as in the seen, as much in the spiritual as in the
physical; a person who has the capacity for reverence, and who is as well
equipped to worship as to work. This is a person who has learned that truth,
beauty, goodness and love are evidences of the transforming power of the Spirit
and everywhere imbued with meaning; a person who is optimistic about the
capacity for love and goodwill to mend the affairs of humanity; a person who has
begun to develop the courage to testify outwardly to what he or she knows
inwardly; a person who has the courage to follow the inward argument where it
leads. Quaker education represents a unique combination of academic excellence
and spiritual depth.